The non-king's speech

C-c-congratulations to the K-k-k-king’s Sp-p-p-eech for win-n-n-ning Best P-p-picture! The Oscar-winning King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham-Carter, hasn’t been shown on our shores yet, except perhaps in pirated form, but the story seems simple enough: King George VI of England has to speak in public, he has a stutter problem, he gets professional help, and, after overcoming his personal demons, the King gives a great speech to inspire his country to help them face — and eventually vanquish — their World War II enemies. We may not be kings or queens but all of us need to have public speaking skills. Some might think that public speaking is an ability that is only needed by politicians or media persons. That would be quite wrong because there are many instances when persons not engaged in media or politics will have to speak in public, for example:

• A parent raising a point during a parent-teacher or school conference;

• A best man giving a wedding toast;

• An employee asking a question during a staff meeting; 

• A student giving an opinion in a university forum.

Moreover, having spent some time around politicians, the truth is that many of them are poor public speakers. In fact, often, political speeches are a lot like steers or male cows: a good point here, a good point there but mostly a lot of bull in between.

Eventually there will be a situation where you will have to give a speech or presentation and so you will need some skill to do it properly. Since I make no claims to be an expert on public speaking let me share with you instead the Ten Tips for Public Speaking of Toastmasters International:

1. Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language — that way you won’t easily forget what to say.

2. Practice, practice, practice! Rehearse out loud with all the equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.

3. Know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.

4. Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.

5. Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. (“One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand.” Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.

6. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping — it will boost your confidence.

7. Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you.

8. Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem — the audience probably never noticed it.

9. Concentrate on the message — not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.

10. Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. (See: www.toastmasters.org)

While the Toastmasters’ tips focus on speaking in a more formal and public setting, the essential advice is definitely applicable to all sorts of public speaking situations. Basically the tips emphasize the importance of preparation, mastery, and focus on the message.

Mark Twain said that it usually took him more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. While obviously Twain’s statement was made in jest, the importance of preparing for any public speaking situation cannot be over emphasized. Again, I have seen politicians and media personalities give excellent, seemingly extemporaneous speeches but, unknown to the public, these speakers had set templates of speeches already well-practiced and filed in their memory.

Sometimes you may not have the luxury of practicing but if you have lead time prior to a speech, then take time out to do the full speech, preferably in front of a mirror so that you don’t just hear yourself but you also see. Remember that in public speaking situations, people will notice your non-verbal language — posture, facial expressions, use of your hands, etc. — as much as they will notice what you say.

While practice is the backbone of a good speech, mastery of the subject matter gives the speech its flesh and substance. We all hate it when a speaker is obviously inept or is merely winging his speech. In Filipino, we call these speakers boleros because of their circuitous way of discussing a topic. So that you won’t be labeled one, it is always best to know what you are talking about. Read up and research before you speak in public. Otherwise, just be silent because even silence by itself may give the impression of depth and wisdom, whereas speaking foolishly will only emphasize your lack of knowledge.

Equally important is the message that you want to deliver. The message can be anything: why the Lakers are the greatest basketball team in history, why The Matrix is better than Lord of the Rings, the need for a parliamentary system in the Philippines, etc. What is important is that you have a message, which is that you have something to say, you have a particular point of view, and you take a definite stand. Fence-sitting, as in other aspects of life, is not a good thing in public speaking.

Finally, what I would add to the list of tips is what for me is the most powerful weapon of a good public speaker: sincerity. This is a characteristic of a good speaker that cannot be faked and is such a rare quality in many public speeches that when you see someone who speaks with sincerity and authenticity, they stand out and shine. Moreover, the speaker’s message is so much more effectively conveyed when the speaker is sincere. I think that sincerity has the effect of unlocking or shutting down our usual defense mechanisms of skepticism and cynicism and this is the reason for its effectiveness. We all have our inner verbal-cow-feces-detection-system and so it is never a good idea to attempt to fool people. Leave that to the traditional politicians (trapos).

Instead, speak about things that you actually believe in and you’ll be amazed at how effective a speaker you can be. Preparation and mastery are vital. Eloquence and style will always captivate. However, sincerity and truthfulness trumps all of that. Put all of it together — practice, mastery, message, and sincerity — and you have the ingredients for a powerful and effective speech that even a king would be proud of.

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E-mail me at adel.tamano@yahoo.com.